New England Patriots will have to reshuffle the fullback position
The New England Patriots fullback depth chart has taken some big hits.
The New England Patriots have been hit hard by roster defections and players opting out of the 2020 NFL season. One of the positions hit the hardest for the team is the fullback position.
Although the importance of fullbacks has been declining across the NFL, the Patriots utilized running behind a fullback to aid in their Super Bowl run in 2018. There was a notable lack of effectiveness in the running game in 2019 and part of this has been attributed to injuries to the team’s two primary fullbacks.
Going into 2020, the team looked to have a solid fullback depth chart. However, things now look very different before practices have even begun in training camp.
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First James Develin retired back in April due to a neck injury from last season. Initially, it seemed as if the team had been prepared for this news when they had signed free agent Danny Vitale during the offseason. However, Vitale’s agent announced on Monday that the fullback will be opting out of the 2020 season. Vitale has a newborn at home and understandably does not want to take the risk.
It’s ironic and frustrating because a Develin/Vitale fullback pairing would have been quite the versatile combo. Develin would’ve been the hammer opening holes between the tackles and Vitale would have been the athletic and capable blocker who could have been used all over the formation similar to how Kyle Juszczyk is used with the San Francisco 49ers.
There are still cards for the New England Patriots to play at fullback.
The Patriots do have players on the roster who may not completely fill the shoes of Develin and Vitale but are more than capable of holding down the fullback position in the offense. Fullback Jakob Johnson played well in limited playing time after Develin was injured last season.
Unfortunately, Johnson also wound up on injured reserve after only three starts. If he can stay healthy and show improvement in only his second NFL season, there may not be a dropoff in the position. Johnson would mostly fill the Develin lead blocking role but Patriots fullbacks are usually expected to catch at least a few balls during the season. He has been working on his receiving game along with rookie tight end Dalton Keene.
Keene is another option for the team at fullback. When drafted, Keene looked to not only have a tight end look and body type, but also one of an H-back. Keene did line up as H-back in college and, although he isn’t as big as some other NFL fullbacks, he more than held his own while blocking at the college level. He would definitely help fill the versatile role the team might have tried out with Vitale.
Another option the team can try if they want to think outside of the box is rookie tight end Devin Asiasi. Asiasi has the required size and athleticism to serve the position well. He was a rugged and improved blocker in college with very good size.
In high school, Asiasi played all over the offense including lining up at running back and quarterback. This athletic ability along with the ability to learn multiple positions should serve him well and could give him additional playing time at the fullback position.
The Patriots also have undrafted tight end Jake Burt, who could help out at fullback if there are injuries or another player fails to be able to handle the position. Along with Burt, they could consider tight end Ryan Izzo at the position as well although he may lack the athleticism to handle the position and he struggled with his blocking last season.
It is possible that the openings at fullback could help Izzo and/or Burt make the roster when they probably would not have otherwise.
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With the fullback position now in a state of fluid motion for the Patriots this season, the team will probably start off with a rotation of Johnson and either Keene or Asiasi at fullback to see how well things will go. It is likely the team will use at least one or two other players at the position especially if there are any injuries throughout the season.
Remember, linebacker Elandon Roberts ended last season as the team’s primary fullback. This goes to show their resourcefulness with the position and also the team’s reliance on a fullback in the running game.